Automatic train-pipe coupling



1.. LE BARON AND A. C. HARRELL.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE C0 U PL|NG. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1921.

1,407,6 5, Patented mm, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1 fil amen dot Lennard Lefimron WWW a. 0. Hmw'alz L. LE BARON AND A. C. HARRELL. AUTOMATIC TRAIN.PIPE COUPLING. 7 APPLICATION FILED JAN 5, I92]- Q m w? Mm M n -Q H Lm Ba r V wm L r I NW \\%N \\w\ mw IQHH..II H RN a. m J I ma W n N N\ I I. w w 2 wv I I I \I x. h I m g H m m one starts LEONARD LE BARON AND ARTHUR C. HARRELL, 0F PENSACOLA, FLOREA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

To allwlwm it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEONARD Ln BARON and ARTHUR C. HARRELL, citizens of the United States, both residing at Pensacola, county of Escambia, and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Pipe Couplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improve ments in automatic train pipe couplings and resides more particularly in an improved locking device whereby the coupling parts are held in a proper position and against accidental rotation until they are brought together relatively so that the proper coupling may be had when the coupling heads are rotated in opposite directions.

Great difliculty has been experienced heretofore in the coupling of cars of dilferent heights because the rotary coupling heads will be accidentally shifted which causes the co-operating pins and hooks to strike one another andprevent their inter-engagement when the coupling heads are rotated and, in fact, prevent the proper coming together of the coupling heads.

The above difficulty is removed by the present locking device which: holds the 1o tary coupling heads in an initial position and against accidental rotation until the hooks and pins are moved to an overlapping position such that their inter-engagement will be insured when the coupling heads are rotated- It is another object of the invention to carry out the above described purposes by a simple and efi'ective construction which is automatic in action.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

. Fig; 1 1s a fragmentary view of a pair of train pipes on adjoining cars to ether with an improved coup ingconstructe m accorcb ance with the present invention and shown in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the two pipes with the coupling heads shown partially in elevation and partially in section;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44: in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the locking device;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary partial elevation and sectional view showing the locking device in normal position, and

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the looking device in the unlocked position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate adjoining train pipes on two cars to be coupled. These cars are equipped with cufi's 3 and sleeves 4 as constructed in accordance with the invention contained in my prior co-pending application Serial No. 339,673, filed November 21, 1919. According to this invention the cuffs 3 are provided with slots 5 having flaring mouths 6 at their outer ends and communicating with offset slots 7 in the sleeves 1. The sleeves 4 are semi-cylindrical in construction as are likewise the cuffs in order to enable the cuffs and sleeves on one car to pass those of the other. v

As shown more particularly in Fig. 3 the pipes 1 and 2 are provided with fixed heads 8 and 9 res ectively having sockets 10 to receive oylin rical or other shaped plungers 11 provided with reduced pins 12 on their inner ends about which are coiled springs 13 acting to normally project the plungers 11 into semi-cylindrical depressions 14 made in rotary heads 15 and 16. These rotary heads 15 and 16 are mounted respectively on the two train pipes in conjunction with the heads 8 and 9.

One form of connection with the rotary heads is shown in Fig. 3 in which the head is internally screwthreaded to receive an externally threaded ring 17 having a flange 18 projecting inwardly at one side for engagement against a second rim 19 threaded in smaller ring 19.

and 2,1,.are carried by the headslzi and 16 e "What is claimed is i v 1; In combination with p pes, rotatable heads carried by said train ternally to screw onto the externally threaded end of the train pipe.

In this way the head 15 is permitted to rotate while it is prevented from escaping by the contact of the. shoulder 18 against the Compressible gaskets 20 and are adapted to be engaged when the heads are in coupled position.

The head 15 carries a hook 2 at one side projecting outwardly therefrom and adapted to engage about a pin 23 on the opposite ro tary head 16 when thetivo heads are rotated partially in opposite directions. In a similar manner a hook 24 on the rotary head 16 extends at a diametrical opposite point from the'pin 23 and is adapted to engage with the second pin 25 projecting from the companion rotary head 15 diametrically opposite to the hook 22. v

Ball bearing'rollers 26 and 27 are carried by the pins 23 and 25 for anti-frictionally engaging the walls of the slots 5 and 7. in the cults 3 and sleeves 4 respectively. The hooks 22 and 24: are so disposed to strike projections 28- on the outer hal'i 'portions of the plungers 11 so that said plungers may be shifted thereby out of the depressions 14:.

In use, the plunger-s 11 normally occupy the depressions l4 and prevent any accidental rotation of the rotary heads 15 and 16. In this locked position the hooks 22 and 24: are in alinement with the projections 28 of the plungers 11. As the two cars are brought together, the hookswill advance in rectilinear paths as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 and before any rotation of the heads can occur, such hooks must strike the projections 28 and shift the plungers into the socket 10 and out of the depressions 14- as appears in Fig. 7

This is arranged to take place while the rollers 26 and 27 on the pins arena the slots 5 of the cuffs 3 and before they enter the offset slots 7 in the sleeves l. The rotary heads will thus be free to rotate as soon as the rollers on the pins start into theofl'set slots 7 which will cause. the swinging of the rollers and pins andfconsequently a partial rotation of the heads is such as will interlock the hooks with the inner portions of said pins. Whenthe cars are uncoupleclythe reverse will take place, the heads being first rotated so'as to bring the plungers into a linement with the depressions so that the rotary heads will be locked as the cars move away from each other.

We have described preferred and satisfactory construction and obvlously changes may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention provicledsuch changes are within the scope of the appended claims.

adjacent train pipes" and adapted to be brought together when in coupled position, means for engaging said heads in coupled position, and means released by said last named means for normally preventing the rotation of said heads, substantially as described.

2. In combination with adjoining train pipes, rotatable heads thereon, means for normally holding said heads against rotation, and coupling means for the heads adapted to be engaged by a turning movement of said heads, said coupling means adapted to initially engage the means for holding said heads against rotation and for disengaging the same, substantially as described. V V

'8; In combination with a pair of train pipes carried by adjacent cars, rotatable heads on said train pipes, plungers for normally holding said heads againstrotation,

and couplingmeans for the heads adapted to be engaged by rotary movement of the heads inopposite directions, said coupling means adapted to initially engage said'plungers whereby tially as described. I V i 4. In combination with twoatrain pipes, rotatable heads carried thereby having sockets therein, plungers carried by the pipes and adapted to enter said sockets to normally hold the heads against rotationyand"interenga-ging coupling means carnedby'thead to release the heads, substanjacent heads adapted to be engaged by inovement of'the'heads in opposite directions,

portions of said coupling means adaptedto strike said-plungers initially and move the same out ofisaid sockets, substantially as de scribed.

5. In combination with: adjacent "train pipes, rotatable heads carried thereby and I provided with sockets, pl-ungers carried by the train pipesadjacentthe heads and :yiel'dingly urged into saidsockets'whereby to avoid rotation oi? said heads, co-operating pins and hooks carried said heads and adapted o be ens-agar y rotary movement of the heads in opposite di -g ;i;i n Said hooks lying in the pathjot the plungers and adapted'to remove'the same from said sockets, substantially as described. j

6. In combination with a'ipai-r oftrain pipes, fixed heads "thereon, rotatable: l1eads mounted in conjunction with 'sai'clf'fiXed heads, means carried. by-thefiiredheads to normally prevent the rotation of saidrotatable heads, and coupling means adapted to unite the rotatable heads and in'itiallyacting on said last namedfmeansto ffee ithe rotatable heads, substantially as described;

by-the ends of said' p'lungers, and coupling 7 between the rotatable heads "adapted 130 me ns 7'. In combination with pair of train pipes, fixed heads carried thereby, yieldably to initially en age said plungers and shift the same out of said sockets, substantially as described.

8. In combination with adjacent train pipes, a pair of fixed heads carried thereby, a pair of rotatable heads mounted in conjunction With said fixed heads and adapted to be brought together, compressible gaskets meeting between said rotatable heads, means carried by the fixed heads and normally and yieldingly engaging with the rotatable heads to hold the latter against rotation, and pin and hook coupling connections carried by said rotary heads and adapted to be interengaged by a partial rotary movement of the heads in opposite directions, said hooks lying in the path of said means and adapted to initially free the rotary heads, substantially as described.

LEONARD LE BARON. ARTHUR C. HARRELL. 

